Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative to introduce new executive director at open house

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo County Poverty Reduction Initiative will hold an open house at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, to introduce its new staff director.

The event on Western Michigan University’s campus is to introduce PRI’s Executive Director Patrick Naswell to the community and provide information on the organization's current direction and plans for fighting poverty in the Kalamazoo area.

“I look forward to this chance to connect with you as we work together towards achieving positive change in our community,” Naswell said in a press release.

Naswell’s past experience includes time as vice president of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and as an assistant in the office of the president at the University of Michigan. He also worked with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and as a consultant for a Flint-area firm.

The Poverty Reduction Initiative works to find solutions to poverty through working with area agencies involved in education, economic development and employment. It runs poverty simulation workshops to raise public awareness and is involved in projects such as Bank on Kalamazoo, a new collaboration with local banks to provide people in Kalamazoo County with free or low cost banking.

The open house will be held at 1140 Welborn Hall at WMU. Refreshments will be served.